Only one in four trust social media, says survey

Only one in four Britons trusts social media and users would like to see tighter regulation, according to the annual Edelman Trust Barometer. "The public want action on key issues related to online protection, and to see their concerns addressed through better regulation. Failure on their part to act risks further erosion of trust and therefore public support." said Ed Williams, chief executive of Edelman UK, a marketing and public relations firm. More than half of Britons worry about fake news, Edelman said, while 64% said they could not distinguish between proper journalism and fake news. A third of Britons are consuming less news overall, according to the survey, citing as reasons that it is "Depressing", "Too biased" and "Controlled by hidden agendas". The proportion of people who describe themselves as "Informed" has halved from 12% to 6%. "As we look at some of the big problems we face in the 21st Century, it should be of significant concern to us all that we are becoming a nation of news skimmers and news avoiders," said Mr Williams.